By Robert Jeffrey

Sun Sports Contributor

VESTAL – The Norwich girls varsity basketball team traveled to Vestal on February 15, for a final tune-up as both teams prepare for the Section IV tournament. While this game did not apply to the final seeding for either team as the sectional cutoff date was February 14, regardless of the lack of sectional points, this game helped Norwich in particular gain some confidence ahead of their respective sectional schedule as they beat the Golden Bears 50-36.

The opening quarter of play saw an uncharacteristically low score as the Tornado led Vestal 8-3 after the end of the first. The second quarter saw the Tornado offense wake up from their long bus ride down Route 12, putting up 13 points in the stanza, meanwhile the Golden Bears trudged along for nine points. However, by the end of first half Norwich still maintained a seemingly sizable lead 21-12.

The Purple Tornado needed to find their offensive groove and it wasn’t until the tandem of Taylor Hansen and Kara Evans plotted to take the game over – scoring 20 of their teams 29 second half points over the final 16 minutes. While both players found their offensive rhythm from different strengths on the court, Hansen sunk five of her nine points in the second half from the free-throw line, while Evans knocked down nine of her 11 second half points from the field. This equal balance of scoring created a Tornado lead that could not be overcome as Norwich cruised over the lulling Golden Bears over the final two quarters.

“We did a good job of playing through a physical game, we played really well defensively,” said Norwich head coach Josh Bennett who held Vestal to only 21 points over the contest’s first three quarters.

Taylor Hansen led the Purple Tornado in scoring with 17 points, Kara Evans pitched in 14 points and Meghan Komendarek recorded 11 markers in the victory. The Golden Bears Shelly Anderson scored a team high 10 points in the loss.